Beginnings
by Redclia
Summary: Pre-movie. The story of Bootstrap and Will's mother, who I've named Corrine. Jack, Barbossa and possibly young Will have minor roles. NOT a self-insertion...after all, why would I write myself as Orlando's mother?
1. 1

Author's Note: There will be strange chapter endings.  And I don't know how long it'll be (always longer than I expect), so if you're hooked you might have to wait a while for the ending.  Just a warning.

Disclaimer: Don't own Jack, Bill, or any of the _Black Pearl_'s crew.

Her mother had never wanted her to work in her father's tavern.  She had thought it to be a far too common place for her only daughter to work.  However, Corrine Grey had wanted to help her father and when she turned sixteen, her mother gave her grudging permission to work at her father's tavern, _The Sign of the Drake_.  In the beginning, her father had been reluctant to let her work there, but he knew that he needed her help, especially when the hired hands spent more time drinking the alcohol than serving it.

            She soon learned how to twist away from the drunks' reaching fingers, looking back with a charming smile that convinced them to stay for at least another drink.  She knew how to understand slurred orders and had enough balance to carry drinks through the crowd on a busy night.   Corrine had been working there for nearly two years and that night had been a cold one, where the normal chatter of the tavern was sacrificed for the conservation of warmth and silent fighting for seats close to the large stone fireplace. 

            A man signaled to her lazily and she went over. "Another one?" she asked.

            He nodded and held out his mug.  She took it back to the bar where her father was waiting and he shook his head as she handed it to him.

            "Don't give him another one," he said, jerking his head at the man. "He's had enough already."  She turned around to see the man's head fall to the table with a heavy thud.

            Her father quickly rinsed the mug out, wiped it quickly with a dirty rag and placed it back on the shelf to be used again.  They both had their backs to the door when it swung open.

            "Got any rum?"

            Turning smoothly, she retorted, "Got any gold?"

            There was a crowd of men crammed into the doorway, their eyes scanning the walls and tables for any sign of wealth.  However, Corrine's father had enough sense to not advertise the amount of money he had made and kept the walls clean of any frivolous decorations.  She noticed the men were staying a respectful distance away from the one who had addressed Corrine and her father.  He looked to be her age, perhaps a few years older.  His long dark hair was strung with a few beads and twisted into seemingly randomly-placed dreadlocks and his eyes were lined with black.  He grinned at her, swaying slightly and raised one long-fingered hand.  The hand twitched and a coin appeared between two fingers.  He tossed it to her and she peered at it suspiciously, not wanting to try the 'bite it and see if it's real' method.  She gave it to her father who tapped it gingerly against his teeth and nodded to her.

            "Pirates?" she asked shortly.

            The man swept his hard leather hat – she guessed it was new – from his head and smiled again, this time displaying the glint of a gold tooth. "Does that matter?" he replied. "We're customers."

            "It matters if you rob us," she said archly.

            "We won't rob you."  Another man stepped forward as the first pirate turned in surprise, spinning so fast Corrine thought he would fall over.  "We just want out drinks, Jack," he added as the ragged, mismatched crew murmured agreement behind him.

            "All right then," the man called Jack heaved a melodramatic sigh. "Go on."

Note: I know Jack is still the same wacky guy as always.  It's just too much fun to write him that way. ^_^ 


	2. 2

The men pushed eagerly past him, still careful to jostle him as little as possible.  Jack gave her a mocking bow before sauntering over to the bar himself to keep his crew in check.

            Corrine turned back towards the door to see the second pirate still standing there.  He was cleaner looking than Jack, his hair tied neatly at the nape of his neck and falling barely past his shoulders.

            "You'll have to excuse Jack," he began, "He's a bit eccentric."

            She nodded in reply. "We've seen stranger people."

            "Hey, Bootstrap!" Jack cheerfully hailed them from the bar. "Come get a drink.  You can't flirt all night, you know."

            The other pirate quickly looked down and away, and Corrine turned to glance curiously over her shoulder at Jack, who had a rum bottle in one hand and his hat in the other.

            He leered. "But she _is_ a pretty one."

            "Are you drunk _already_?" slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it.

            "Pretty and snappy," he replied.  Bill gently took Jack by the shoulders and steered him away. "Come on, Jack."

            "_Captain_ Jack."

            "Fine, come on, Captain Jack."

            "Captain Jack _Sparrow_."

            "Jack."  There was a sigh.

            "What's wrong with havin' a bit of fun, Bill?"  When he got no response, Corrine heard him sigh himself, exasperatedly. "You can be such a stick sometimes." 

            "Oy, Jack!"  There was a loud startled cry from the crew of pirates crowded amongst the tables. "That's my hat you're sitting on."

            "Ah," she heard the pirate captain's drunken voice slur. "So it is.  Here you go, Barbossa."

            "Corrine," her father whispered to her from the bar.  She gave him a questioning look and went over to him. "Don't get too close to them, okay?  I don't trust them."

            "They're pirates, father.  No one trusts them."

            They both watched as one pirate thumped another heartily on the back, knocking out a false eyeball.  The second pirate dove for the rolling ball, amid laughter from his companions who did nothing to help him.  Corrine turned away in disgust and her father sighed. 

            "It's times like these where I think your mother was right.  A tavern full of pirates is no place for a maid."

            "Ah, but it is," a drunk pirate burbled as he slammed unsteadily into the bar.  He reached for her, but her father slammed the thick end of a short wooden staff down on his hand.  "Hey."

            "Out," her father said shortly, gesturing towards the door with the staff.

            "Wha?" the pirate squinted at the bat.

            "Get out."

            Understanding grew on the man's face, which passed quickly to indignation. "Hey, Jack! This guy's – "

            "Captain, Captain Jack," slurred the pirate.  Corrine watched as he started towards the other man, only to collapse before he made it two yards.  Another pirate, the one addressed as Barbossa, caught him under the arms and dragged him to an empty chair.  

            Corrine's father raised an eyebrow at the pirate still leaning against the bar. "Out."

            "You can't kick me out," the man snarled, the effect somewhat ruined by the loud hiccup that followed. "I'm a pirate."

            "Yes," her father smiled and Corrine felt a wry smile appear on her face, while she unsuccessfully fought to hide it. "But I'm the one with the stick."


End file.
